Page 186 of Savage Suit

She was smart, so I had no doubt that she could. Except I didn’t want her to. “Sweetheart, there’s a reason I steer clear of business conversations during our calls.”

“Noted,” she said coolly, giving an exaggerated yawn. “Hey, bud, I’m exhausted. I’ve stayed up way past my bedtime, so I’m going to turn in.”

I drained my glass again. Drinking on an empty stomach was never smart. My head had gone from buzzing to swimming. Flipping off my common sense, I poured more wine. Missing Ryan, the day’s frustrations, and the argument between us coming out of left field added to my rising annoyance. Instead of ending the call with reassurances, I turned into an asshole. “If I can, I will call you tomorrow.”

Her mouth tightened and she lifted her chin. Ryan and I butted heads regularly, so her irritation and disapproval didn’t surprise me. It was the wounded look in her eyes that caught me off guard.

“Talk to you soon, Mr. Keegan.”

Not allowing me a chance to respond, she disconnected. For long moments, I stared at the phone, searching my brain for the exact moment the conversation deviated. Her mention of work kicked it off; yet it was so inconsequential we should’ve easily recovered.

Sighing, I laid the phone on the table and turned my attention to my meal. Halfway through, someone knocked on my door. It was after one in the morning, so it had to be an accident. The rap-tap-tap came again. Standing and grabbing my nearly empty glass, I stomped across the room to the door and gazed through the peephole. My mind was playing tricks on me. That was the only reason I sawherstanding in my hotel’s hallway, seeking entry to my room.

“Please let me in, Noah.” She sniffled. “We need to talk.”

“How the fuck did you locate me, Miss Buford?” I demanded.

“Reid,” she answered in a small voice. “I know you’re angry with me.”

“Wrong. I’m through with you.”

A sob escaped her. “Please. Five minutes. You can call Reid and verify.”

I unlocked the door and swung it open. Through the peephole, she’d looked pale and sad. Face-to-face, the small baby bump worsened her haggard appearance. Sighing, I stepped aside. “Five minutes, Megan.”

As I returned to my table and sat, I drained my glass then refilled it with the little wine left in the bottle.

“You have to talk to Reid,” she said, surprisingly close to me. I just had time to set my glass down before she launched herself against me, wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my neck, sobbing. “He never wants to see me again. I love him so much, Noah. I can’t lose him.”

Carefully, I stood, only now remembering my state of undress. “Miss Buford,” I said, trying to gently dislodge her so I could move away. She cried harder, her body shaking. “Megan, calm down. It isn’t good for you or the baby.”

Sniffling, she leaned back. Her eyes were puffy, and her nose was red. I wondered how long she’d been crying. “He doesn’t even care about me that much.”

“I care even less,” I said flatly. “But you’re pregnant. Your stress can jeopardize your baby.”

“I’m so sorry I hurt Ryan. I never meant to—”

“Save it. You sent the information to Ingrid Warrington under your own free will. You meant to hurt Ryan.”

“It wasn’t premeditated,” she said tearfully. “It was spur-of-the-moment of the moment bad judgment.”

“It doesn’t matter—”

“Please, Noah. I need my job. I don’t have to work in the principal office. I can work in another location. Reid hates me and he was giving me money to survive, paying for my hotel.”

Fogginess clouded my brain. Otherwise, I would’ve questioned why he’d pay for her to stay in a Charlotte hotel.

“I haven’t eaten today,” she continued, “and I have nowhere to sleep tonight.”

She opened her small purse and got a cheap, off brand phone. First, she let me hear how little minutes left until she needed to pay again, then she punched in Reid’s number. When voicemail picked up, the message said, “Reid Keegan.”

“Reid, I’m here. Call back so the three of us can talk and you can assure him I’m being honest. Please. It’s the least you can do for your unborn child.” She disconnected and raised woeful eyes to me. “If he hasn’t called in five minutes, I will leave.”

“Give me a few minutes to dress,” I said with a sigh. “We’ll go to the lobby, and I’ll book you a room for tonight and tomorrow. It’ll give me a chance to talk to my cousin myself.”

Reid was in love with Quinn. Whether he saw a future with Megan didn’t negate his responsibility to her baby as its father.

“Thank you, Noah. I am indebted to you.”